Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic depression, is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings that include emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression).

When you become depressed, you may feel sad or hopeless and lose interest or pleasure in most activities. When your mood shifts to mania or hypomania (less extreme than mania), you may feel euphoric, full of energy or unusually irritable. These mood swings can affect sleep, energy, activity, judgment, behavior and the ability to think clearly.

Causes

· Biological differences. People with bipolar disorder appear to have physical changes in their brains.

· Genetics. Bipolar disorder is more common in people who have a first-degree relative, such as a sibling or parent, with the condition.

Symptoms

· Bipolar I disorder. You've had at least one manic episode that may be preceded or followed by hypomanic or major depressive episodes. In some cases, mania may trigger a break from reality (psychosis).

· Bipolar II disorder. You've had at least one major depressive episode and at least one hypomanic episode, but you've never had a manic episode.

· Cyclothymic disorder. You've had at least two years — or one year in children and teenagers — of many periods of hypomania symptoms and periods of depressive symptoms (though less severe than major depression).

Both a manic and a hypomanic episode include three or more of these symptoms:

· Abnormally upbeat, jumpy or wired

· Increased activity, energy or agitation

· Exaggerated sense of well-being and self-confidence (euphoria)

· Decreased need for sleep

· Unusual talkativeness

· Racing thoughts

· Distractibility

· Poor decision-making

An depressive episode includes five or more of these symptoms:

· Depressed mood, such as feeling sad, empty, hopeless or tearful.

· Marked loss of interest or feeling no pleasure in all — or almost all — activities

· Significant weight loss

· Either insomnia or sleeping too much

· Either restlessness or slowed behavior

· Fatigue or loss of energy

· Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt

· Decreased ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness

· Thinking about, planning or attempting suicide

Treatment

· Medications

· Continued treatment.

· Day treatment programs

· Substance abuse treatment

· Hospitalization

· Mood stabilizers

· Antipsychotics

· Antidepressants

· Antidepressant-antipsychotic

· Anti-anxiety medications

· Interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT)

· Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

· Psychoeducation

· Family-focused therapy